Annual reports

The Path to Prosperity The 2024 Freedom and Prosperity Indexes

In this “year of election,” freedom continues to decline globally. Political rights, judicial independence, and checks and balances are eroding. Prosperity growth has slowed, particularly in developing countries. The data underscores a strong link between freedom and prosperity, highlighting the need for data-driven policy reforms.

2024 Atlas: Freedom and Prosperity Around the World

Twenty leading economists and government officials from eighteen countries contributed to this comprehensive volume, which serves as a roadmap for navigating the complexities of contemporary governance. 

Publications

New Atlanticist

Oct 12, 2022

The key to national progress is no longer GDP growth. It’s prosperity.

By Joseph Lemoine

Singular focus on GDP, and its role in shaping economic and political decisions, is outdated. It is time for developed countries to undergo a massive narrative change.

Economy & Business Freedom and Prosperity

New Atlanticist

Sep 22, 2022

Multilateralism needs an overhaul. Here’s where to start.

By Yomna Gaafar

The world is growing more volatile by the day—but leaders are acting within a system ill-equipped to handle the moment.

Economy & Business International Financial Institutions

New Atlanticist

Aug 18, 2022

There’s more to China’s new Global Development Initiative than meets the eye

By Joseph Lemoine, Yomna Gaafar

A growing Chinese presence in multilateral organizations could give Beijing undue influence over the developing world.

China Economy & Business

Event Recap

Jun 17, 2022

Copenhagen Democracy Summit 2022

The Freedom and Prosperity Center, the Atlantic Council’s newest center, had its public launch at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit on Thursday, June 9. Dan Negrea, the Center’s Senior Director, and Matt Kroenig, Deputy Director of the Scowcroft Center, participated in a panel that discussed their report entitled “Do Countries Need Freedom to Achieve Prosperity?”  The […]

Economy & Business

Report

Jun 1, 2022

Do countries need freedom to achieve prosperity?

By Dan Negrea, Joseph Lemoine, Matthew Kroenig, Joel Kesselbrenner

The Freedom Index and Prosperity Index are two separate indexes that rank one hundred and seventy-four countries around the world according to their levels of freedom and prosperity.

Civil Society Corruption

Events

About the Freedom and Prosperity Indexes

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Democracy Pulse

Democracy Pulse

Democracy Pulse breaks down the latest trends and data in democracy and human rights in a succinct shorts series. Available on YouTube and Atlantic Council TV.

Media

Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party has won the election in Taiwan, and will be inaugurated as Taiwan’s next president on May 20. As his term commences, James Storen breaks down Taiwan’s performance in the Freedom and Prosperity Indexes, examining numerous indicators including political freedom and elections.
Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, the economic bloc known as BRICS, convened for their annual summit in August. Ahead of the summit, James Storen breaks down the performance of these countries in the 2023 Freedom and Prosperity Indexes. Freedom has declined in all BRICS countries, which has slowed down their progress in achieving prosperity.
An overview of the methodologies and takeaways behind the 2023 Freedom and Prosperity Indexes, which measure freedom and prosperity for 164 countries around the world. The annual Freedom and Prosperity Indexes are a primary output of the Atlantic Council’s Freedom and Prosperity Center.

Explore the data

The Freedom and Prosperity Indexes rank 164 countries around the world according to their levels of freedom and prosperity. Use our award-winning site to explore twenty-nine years of data, compare countries and regions, and examine the sub-indexes and indicators that comprise our indexes.

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About the program

The Freedom and Prosperity Center aims to increase the prosperity of the poor and marginalized in developing countries and to explore the nature of the relationship between freedom and prosperity in both developing and developed nations.